Xmas party. How much?.

Anatidaephobia

My work don't put on a work night out but usually teams will arrange their own among themselves. Last year, ours was approx £20-25 for a meal; it was not anything special but it was fine. We arranged the day so that if people didn't want to come to the meal, they could skip that bit and just come to the drinks in the evening. As it turned out, everybody did come to the meal in the end.

This year, my night out is with different people to last, it's costing approx £13 (for a buffet, rather than a proper sit down meal, and an entertainment night). For a normal Christmas meal out with work, my max would probably be £30; there'd have to be something very special or different to convince me to spend £40, bearing in mind you still need to pay for drinks and transport.

boliston

Luckily our works do is paid for, including partners and they normally hire a bus if it's an out of town venue which is handy. I'm not really a "party animal" but normally go as it's only a once a year thing. Most of the staff are quite a bit younger than me so probably benefit from it more than me, especially the drinks!

jaydeeuk1

Wait... you have to pay for your own works xmas do!?!

We're only a small co, approx 15 staff, but we pay for staff and partners for meal, venue etc and drinks all night too and organise a minibus (will be 2 this year by the looks of it), thought that was how it is everywhere!

Anatidaephobia

jaydeeuk1 wrote: »

Wait... you have to pay for your own works xmas do!?!

We're only a small co, approx 15 staff, but we pay for staff and partners for meal, venue etc and drinks all night too and organise a minibus (will be 2 this year by the looks of it), thought that was how it is everywhere!

Not if you work in the public sector.

BarryBlue

Anatidaephobia wrote: »

Not if you work in the public sector.

Yes, I thought that. These companies can shell out a fortune on Xmas booze-ups, ultimately paid for by their clients, and nobody seems bothered. Yet if, say, a council put on even a basic buffet lunch for their staff many would be horrified. Public sector employees work just as hard as private sector ones, despite what some would have us all think, usually for less money. There are less perks too, and very few get anything provided at Christmas.

SandC

I'm private sector and we don't have a party. We used to, but when I stopped organising it it stopped happening. It was a pain in the backside. If any of the senior bosses attended they would often buy some wine but it wasn't paid for by the Company.

I believe various departments might have a night out of some sorts during the festive period but down in finance, well we don't!

That cost sounds about par for the course if it's a Fri or Sat and there's some kind of entertainment, tribute band or disco etc. rather than just a meal. To be honest, these things can be fun but one of our local hotels for example will charge £20 for three course meal, tribute act and dancing on occasions over the course of the year - the same kind of thing will happen at Xmas but will be double the price. Plus the food tends to be mediocre at best.

Enforced 'fun' with colleagues can be the exact opposite. :rotfl:

Jessii1990

My work pay for us to have a Christmas do. We normally pay £5 as a deposit to secure a ticket and then they give that back to us on the evening when we arrive. They chop and change each year as well with food sometimes a sit down dinner and sometimes a buffet. Works out quite nicely. I think this year as well they are giving us some drinks vouchers.

I find it very interesting about the vegetarian options. I never really thought about it before but there does only ever seem to be one choice for vegetarians!! I think if I were vegetarian and asked to pay I would probably give it a miss as well as others have said your technically paying for something you may not want or enjoy.

I'm hoping to take my team for a little meal as well. This would be paid for by ourselves as my company will only fund a team meal or the company do not both.

Birdie85

I work in the private sector (for a FTSE 100 company) yet we have to pay for our Christmas party. It's usually around £25 for a dinner and disco on a Saturday night and partners are invited so it's actually £50... sometimes I go, sometimes I don't. I wouldn't spend £35 on a lunch out.

My vegetarian friend made me laugh when recounting her Christmas do last year, she'd told the lady sorting out the party that she's a veggie and isn't a fan of cheese, she doesn't mind a little in/on something, as long as it's not the main ingredient, but otherwise she's easy to please so didn't mind what was ordered for her. For starter she got a cheese plait, for main it was macaroni cheese and her dessert was a cheese board! :rotfl:

PurplePow

Last year our team organised a cheap party night. £10pp covered a function room, karaoke/disco, buffet and a ‘raffle’ (alcohol from the bar!). It was the best Christmas ‘lunch/party’ I’ve ever been to and everyone had such a laugh. We’re doing the same this year and everyone from other departments heard about how good it was and wants in!

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I've organised work social events, and it's a hideous thankless task. Whatever restaurant you choose someone will moan, even if it's paid for by work!

The restaurants rename their standard menu as "festive" by doing a turkey main and adding a mince pie, up the price by 20%, add a group service charge, and then people get bored sitting next to that dull bloke from HR who never says anything. It's all a nonsense.